August 12, 2025

Have you ever wanted to be different than who you are? I’m sure we all have.

For me, I’ve wanted to be more of a Type-A all the way kind of person.

SimplePsychology.org characterizes Type A and Type B personalities this way:

The Type A personality is characterized by a competitive, driven, and time-conscious nature, while the Type B personality is more laid-back, relaxed, and less focused on time pressure. Type A individuals are often more prone to stress and exhibit a sense of urgency, while Type B individuals are generally more easygoing and adaptable.  ~ https://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html

My husband and my daughter are definitely more Type A. There are qualities with this type of personality that I admire, like being driven and having a time-conscious nature. To me, especially with my daughter and husband, they take the bull by the horns and put their heads down and get stuff done, even when it’s difficult.

For me, yes, I get stuff done, but I’m more “just-in-time management.” I can go right up to the deadline (always reaching the deadline) and don’t always work ahead. These days, I am better at working ahead, because there is value in not letting things pile up. However, in looking at the definition above, I’m definitely more Type B – more relaxed, less focused on time pressure.

At times I wish I had a greater sense of urgency. I wish I would do things differently. Yep, I wish I was different than I am.

Feeling like this can lead to feelings of discouragement and doubt, even failure. This is when I need to remember that God made me exactly as I am. Does that mean I shouldn’t work hard to improve myself? Not at all. But it means I need to accept who I am, how I work, and how I enjoy life.

If you’re feeling discouraged about who you are, first and foremost, remember you’re a child of God – made in His image.

Second, while we can work on self-improvement, the most important self-work we can do is maturing in our faith. Tough times happen, and we need to let those lessons strengthen us, grow us, and be thankful for our blessings, while preparing us to help others.

So, while I may not be as task-oriented as I want to be, I think God has gifted me in different ways. My just-in-time management style has also let me drop everything to encourage someone else. That’s something I always want to make time to do. If my focus can be on people and not tasks, then that’s a good thing. By the way, that’s not a shot at my husband or any other Type-A person. Goodness, we need you! You inspire us. On the flip side, I hope we inspire you. If we were all made the same, life would be boring.

Perhaps instead of lamenting that I wish I were different, I need to accept my gifts and stronger traits, and influence someone else, and be open enough to let others share their gifts with me.

What about you? Do you wish you were someone different? How do you learn to accept yourself and who you are? Please share.

Let’s encourage one another.